NGC 2264 Christmas Tree Cluster & Cone Nebula
Magnitude: 3.9
Distance Aprox: 2,700 light-years
Diameter: 5 light-years
Constellation: Monoceros
The Cone Nebula is an H II region discovered by William Herschel on December 26, 1785, at which time he designated it H V.27. The Cone Nebula forms part of the nebulosity surrounding the Christmas Tree Cluster. The designation of NGC 2264 in the New General Catalogue refers to both objects and not the nebula alone.
The diffuse Cone Nebula, so named because of its apparent shape, lies in the southern part of NGC 2264, the northern part being the magnitude-3.9 Christmas Tree Cluster. It is in the northern part of Monoceros, just north of the midpoint of a line from Procyon to Betelgeuse.
The faint nebula is approximately seven light-years long (with an apparent length of 10 arcminutes).
Taken 3/17/18 in Pioneer Ohio by Russell Kille on a CPC 1100 with Hyperstar @ F2 and ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera
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